Acts of Love
by Optimus Magnus
Summary: A fairly simple final battle fic.  My first entry in Harry Potter


Standard Disclaimer: Harry Potter and all characters, settings and spells herein are property of JK Rowling and associated parties.

Thanks to my two Beta Readers Gryfon and AbeoUmbra

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The battlefield was chaotic; a field of green and red. Wizard was killing wizard and yet there was one area that friend and foe of the side of light would avoid; The site of Lord Voldermort and Harry Potter's battle. It was an area virtually alive with power. Both men were giving off magical energies never thought possible as they belted (battled) each other with spell after spell trying to destroy one another.

"I must say, young Potter, you have become an exceptional warrior." Voldermort, despite his level voice and leisurely posture was severely injured.

"You ought to know, I have trained to kill you." Harry was more visibly affected by his injuries.

"You won't defeat me." Voldermort said simply.

Harry replied not with words but with a spell, the one he learnt from Professor Snape's potions book. It didn't hit him fully, but enough to open some large gashes on his left arm. Voldermort almost seemed to enjoy the pain.

"DIE, DAMN YOU!" Harry screamed.

"You cannot kill me Harry Potter; you don't have the will to do it, or else you'd have used the Killing Curse by now. And you know it." Voldermort continued to taunt him.

Before Harry would (could) respond, he heard a scream; a young woman's scream. He spun around, begging higher powers that it was someone else, anyone else. His hope was crushed as he saw Hermione, his closest friend and one he loved above all others fall from a set of curses. Harry's world slowed down to half speed.

"NO!" He screamed.

Forgetting his battle with Voldermort, Harry ran towards his fallen friend, blasting the Death Eaters with Sectumsempra as he went until he arrived at her body. She'd been hit with several different curses, including Cruciatus. Gently he cradled Hermione's head in his hands and stroked her hair, gently calling her name.

"Wake up, please." Harry was in tears.

Voldermort laughed at Harry's show of perceived weakness as Ron arrived, in an equal state of disarray. Ron and Harry looked at each other wondering what to do. They heard Voldermort laughing inanely and with a look of murderous rage, the both turned and aimed their wands.

"Crucatius!" They both yelled; and both hitting the Dark Lord square on.

Voldermort hit the ground with a thud and was silent but still alive. Satisfied that he would at least be quite for a time, Harry and Ron began to discuss what they could do for their friend.

"What can we do, there isn't a healer for miles and she wouldn't survive an Apparation back to Hogwarts." Ron said (softly).

"I don't know, Ron" Harry replied.

"Well for a start, you can both quiet down, and make my last moments peaceful." A wry voice rasped.

"Hermione!" Harry and Ron's synchronised speaking was getting creepy.

"Yeah it's me. Have you beaten him yet Harry?" Hermione asked.

"No, still working on that I'm afraid." He said with a sad smile.

"Well, come on, get to it. I'll be fine. Ron can watch me." Hermione pushed him, although Harry felt nothing.

As Ron gently whispered reassurances to Hermione, Harry worked his brain at a thousand miles a second to think of something, anything that would help them defeat this monster, and save Hermione.

Then Harry remembered something that Dumbledore said to him. The Power the Dark Lord Knows Not is love. A spell then to defeat him would need love as its primary motivation.

Hermione, I need to save her as well…I know! Harry seemed to see it clearly now.

He looked at Hermione; someone he loved dearly, more than life itself in fact … and yet, he saw her and Ron and how they looked at each other; quick glances and touches when they thought no one was looking. At that moment, his future was clear to him, and set in stone.

He placed his left hand over Hermione's heart and smiled at her. Ron was getting confused and Hermione was fading fast, but not so fast she couldn't see that all too familiar look on Harry's face. The same look that he got whenever he was going to do something incredibly brave or stupid.

"Harry…?" She whispered?

"I love you Hermione, please, live well. You too Ron." He said and placed his right hand over his own heart.

"What are you-"

"IPSEMMOLATE!" Harry yelled an incantation.

Blue light surrounded Harry and Hermione, the sheer energy being expelled forced Ron backwards. What Ron could see would stay with him the rest of his days (life). All of Hermione's injuries that he could see were disappearing and frighteningly enough, so was Harry's color.

"Ron, what's going on?" Hermione asked.

"Harry's using some spell I've never heard of, he's, going (getting) pale Hermione." Ron explained as best as he could.

Hermione turned her head in time to see Harry's body becoming white, alabaster even. With her renewed strength Hermione tried to get up but it was slow going for her, soon all she could see was Harry smiling sadly.

"Goodbye…" He said as Hermione tried to wrap her arms around thin air as the rest of his life force left his body, making him fall to the ground.

Hermione had never physically felt this good in her life, but paradoxically never felt this bad either. Regaining her composure she turned to Ron and looked him in the eyes with her own bloodshot eyes (ones instead of eyes).

"What did he say Ron...TELL ME!" She cried.

"Ipsemmolate, I don't know what that is." Ron admitted, looking down.

"It's the Spell of Self Sacrifice; an act of truest love is its driving force." Hermione explained, embracing Ron.

Their reprieve was small as they saw Voldermort's body fitting violently on the ground near them, screaming like a stuck pig and occasionally having a body part burst into flame randomly. With an explosion of purple light and fire, Voldermort was no more.

"Defeated by the power of love." Ron said, hugging Hermione tighter.

"DIE!" A mad Death Eater came barrelling towards them with his wand raised threateningly.

"Avada Kedavra!" The Death Eater yelled, firing the spell at Ron and Hermione.

Ron manoeuvred himself so he was to take the spell instead of Hermione, when another miracle occurred. A blue wave rushed from Hermione's body, her eyes cracking with lightning and it deflected the Avada Kedavra spell and continuing on to kill the Death Eater.

"Hermione, what happened?" Ron asked quietly.

"The spell Harry used places the caster's entire life force into the other person; it would appear he gave me all his magical powers too." She said, slumped in his lap.

McGonagall, Lupin, Tonks, Moody and other wizards soon descended upon them quickly asking to know what (had) happened. Slowly and with much sobbing, Hermione and Ron both imparted the story of Lord Voldermort's defeat.

McGonagall helped Hermione and Ron up as Lupin and Moody went over and charmed a sheet over Harry's body. Bill and Charlie Weasley joined them with Tonks and Hermione to lift Harry's body from the ground. Ron stood at the head of the group, Hagrid at the rear. The Aurors and other fighters had dispatched the Death Eaters and were securing them. Order members, Aurors and others bowed their heads as they carried him past.

"Harry Potter; gave his life, so that his friends would live. In doing so he defeated Lord Voldermort." McGonagall announced to the crowd.

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The group Apperated to Hogwarts, to place Harry in the same white tomb as Dumbledore, until such time burial arrangements could be made. As Lupin went to collect Harry's effects at McGonagall's behest; Hermione and Ron knelt in front of the white tomb.

He was really gone, they both reflected that not only had Harry died, but also the name and lineage of Potter, one they knew produced great wizards and better people. They lost so much, first Dumbledore and then Harry.

"Where would Harry learn a spell as powerful as that?" Ron asked Hermione.

"From a book of Dumbledore's I imagine." She answered feebly.

Hermione had much to process; Harry had said he loved her before he died. She knew it to be true for if it weren't, the spell would not have worked. Before she could continue further down that line of thought, Lupin reappeared with something that belonged to Harry in his hands; it was a small leather bound book. He stood silently for a few minutes, rubbing its cover absently.

"Lupin?" Ron asked gently.

"Sorry, I was, a bit distracted. Hermione, I believe you should see this." Lupin handed Hermione the book.

"It's a diary, Harry's diary." Lupin said.

"Lupin, I can't read his private thoughts, I can't." She seemed a bit confused to why he thought she should read this.

"This note was taped to it, said that he wanted you to have it." Lupin handed her the note.

As soon as Hermione touched the parchment she could tell it was not faked. Just, the tingling feeling that the magic laced paper gave off was enough to tell her it was real. With this great trepidation, and Ron's arm supportively around her waist she opened the diary and began to read.

_August 1st, 1998._

_The battle lines have been drawn and now its do or die. Yep, on this fine day I, Harry Potter shall commit cold blooded murder in killing Tom Marvolo Riddle, known by most others as Lord Voldermort; an evil man who has murdered thousands, including my_ _parents._

_So I have had 18 short, mainly misery filled years in life, offset only by a few people making me feel like I was loved. For the benefit of record and my own attempt to stave off madness, I shall speak of them here in no particular order._

_Hermione Jane Granger, my greatest friend and ally. A young women who started out looking slightly like a buck tooth female Einstein who became in turn one of the most powerful and beautiful people I've ever met._

_For the sake of things, I shall assume I have been denied further privileges of breathing._

_Hermione, you are the most precious person I've had in my life (family not withstanding) and consequently I love you more than I have ever loved anything in living memory. You've stood by my through thick & thin and taken me in all my good and bad humour: which I'm told can be pretty intense._

_By that same token, you've gotten right in my face and told me to shape up and shut up and always given as much as you got from me and anyone else. You will make someone very special, and if they don't treat you right, I'm sure Ron and the others of the Weasley clan aren't above a bit of gang violence._

_Ronald Billius Weasley. You my friend, are the closest thing to a brother I've ever had. Filling all requirements of the role from being loyal to a 't' and also a colossal pain in the arse when the mood took you. In short mate, you were the best friend I've ever had or will have. Say goodbye to everyone for me mate, since I dare say I'm not here to do it myself. And also, consider that Firebolt yours._

The diary went on like, mentioning everyone else that Harry loved and respected. Both Hermione and Ron were in tears when they came to the end, but were pleasantly surprised by the light hearted ending note.

_PS, please, if anyone asks, I DID NOT die a virgin; it looks and sounds terribly bad on a legendary hero's CV._

_Yours in love, honour and friendship,_

_Harry James Potter._

Remus returned to find Hermione and Ron still crying, but with a smile and chuckle on their lips as well. Hermione and Ron decided to let Remus in on the joke, to which he replied.

"Harry Potter, poster boy for Heroism, Courage and Safe Sexual Practices; a hero for the whole family." Lupin could only hold a straight face for about three seconds before he collapsed into a fit of laughter.

Despite the overwhelming air of sadness that presented itself on this fateful day after Harry's 18th Birthday, there was also a feeling of hope. A young man who gave more to the world than it had ever given him, or given back in equal parts depending on whom you ask, saved that world from a dangerous force.

Although the world asked for grandiose monuments to honour Harry Potter, the keeper of his estate, Remus Lupin Esquire and Lady Nymphadora Tonks, wouldn't not allow it and instead asked his friends, the soon to be Mr. and Mrs. Granger-Weasley to come up with one. In the end they decided simple to rename the field of play at Hogwarts to Potter's Pitch.

------------Hogwarts-----------

Hermione was standing in Potter's Pitch. Ron was giving a lecture on Dark Arts combat with current the Hogwarts Defence against Dark Arts teacher, Draco Malfoy. Hermione looked out at the pitch and knelt down, clasping something in her hand. She began digging until a small hole about two inches deep and the size of a video cassette was before her.

"A part of you will be with me always, but you loved this place, so I think its right that part of you is here as well." She said aloud.

Hermione placed Harry's Quidditch glove in the hole, putting some of the magic in her into it and buried it and rubbed her stomach, its slight bulge denoting her pregnancy.

"Goodbye, Harry." She whispered.

"Hey, Hermione, I'm done. Do you want go or did you want to see Minerva first?" Ron announced his arrival.

"Sorry, Ron, I was talking to Harry, I didn't hear you." She said with a blush.

"Which one?" He asked with a crooked grin.

"Harry Potter Snr. Our other Harry is sleeping I think." She replied a smile of her own.

"Come on, Minerva wants to see you. Lord knows she'll want to dote on her star student now she's pregnant." Ron teased.

Hermione swatted him upside the head with a chuckle and walked with him towards their old Head of House's office. Neither noticed a faint blue glow envelope the Quidditch field.

"I've had a lot of people asking me about how Harry died; its starting to get to me." Ron mentioned.

"Ron, does the name Bruce Lee mean anything to you?" Hermione asked.

"No, who was he?" He enquired.

"Bruce Lee was a Muggle who died in 1973, he was a Martial Artist of the highest discipline, but died under mysterious circumstances." She began.

"There wasn't much mystery on how Harry died." Ron pointed out.

"Let me finish Ronald. When he died, all sorts of theories and explanations were put forward. But his wife, Linda, put how she felt into words, and I think we should echo her sentiment." She paused again.

"What was that sentiment?" Ron was bursting with anticipation.

"She said 'Many people ask me about how Bruce died, but I prefer not to remember how he died, but how he lived'; I think that's what we should do for Harry: remember how he lived." She explained.

Ron only nodded and tightened his grip on his wife and the soon to be born Harry Sirius Granger-Weasley. To him that sentiment was perfect for their friend.

**The End**

The spell "Ipsemmolate" is a combination of two words in Latin.

Ipsemet which means "self"

Immolatio which means "sacrifice"


End file.
